I have been doing Powderpuff Chuckwagon racing for many years. Normally, the gals drive teams that are supplied by the wagon owners. For the past 7 years, I have owned my horses for my powderpuff team. I'm very particular about my horses, and this allows me to control the care and know when one of them is "off". The horses used in the races are all thoroughbreds. Most of them are off the track, having been retired or not winning enough to stay on the track. My current right hand horse is from a track in Illinois. My left hand horse was bought out of a sale barn for $300. The only other person bidding on him was a kill buyer.

It's very rare for me to take my team to the track for practice. My exercise routine is driving them 4 to 6 miles, 4 times a week on an old steel barge box wagon. I take them down the black top and on the surrounding gravel roads. I watch their movements very closely whether they are under harness or just coming in and out of their stalls, making it pretty easy to tell when one of them needs an appointment with Dr. Christine. I have been taking them to Dr. Christine for about 4 years now. Initially, I only had her do a chiropractic adjustment, but for the last 2 years I have been doing the MagnaWave also. My "boys" absolutely love the MagnaWave. The best part is the next morning. It's common to catch them lying flat on their sides, sound asleep after a treatment.

I firmly believe that if I can keep my horses both mentally and physically healthy, the win on the track is just the result. Dr. Christine has been one piece of that equation which has resulted in winning the year end high point the last 5 out of 6 years.
June Rieck

June Rieck(September 2016)

Hope and Mia

Mia is a 14 year old QH mare. I've had her since she was born. So needless to say she is very special to me and yes a little spoiled. She is normally a very sweet girl, so last May 2015 when she was cranky and started rubbing her head and face all the time I knew something was up. I called the vet out and she had an ear infection. So we treated that. The head shaking and rubbing continued even though the ear infection was gone on recheck. We then treated her for allergies, which we already knew she had. The steroids would lessen the head shaking and rubbing but it never stopped completely. She at this point would no longer roll. When winter came I thought if it's allergies she would feel better. But that wasn't the case. When weather fronts would come through she was in so much pain, pawing the ground and shaking and rubbing her head I had to give her pain meds. I tried to make her comfortable but she was miserable. After exhausting what traditional medicine had to offer I was at a loss. It was suggested to me to try chiropractic. I was very skeptical to say the least. But I had tried whatever I could to help her. She had her first treatment with Dr. Christine 2/24/16, we did both chiropractic and acupuncture. What I noticed initially was her muscles were very relaxed. After her third treatment I came out and found her covered with mud. I was so excited that she was rolling again! The head shaking and rubbing was also improving. We continued treatments every two weeks until the end of May, now we are going every six weeks. Mia is doing great! She's moving great under saddle and only occasionally shaking her head. I can't even begin to say how grateful I am to Dr. Christine and Carla for everything. I have my sweet girl back! Thank you so much!

Sincerely, Hope(August 2016)

Renee and Roy

Last year at the World Show, we got down there and Roy just wasn't quite "right". I had called my husband the night before my main class and said I didn't think I'd get him shown as he was not feeling himself. It's a lot on these horses (trailering for hours, being rode a tad more than normal, standing on cement, no turnout, etc) and I didn't blame him for hurting. But I chatted with a few people and they said I should have Dr. Christine look at him. So the morning of my class, she worked in him and later that afternoon he was 4th overall in a very tough hunt seat class! It was the best ride I had ever had on him. We are heading down again to the world show in a few weeks and I have already set an appointment with Dr. Christine for him. I won't do that again to him. We all work too hard and he always gives me 100% so I owe it to him to make sure he's in line and ready to show.

(May 2016)

Jan & Cooter

Over the years I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of great horses and some fantastic equine support staff. After all these years, I consider most show horses pretty easy to manage and keep in the condition physically and mentally to perform their best. That is, until the summer of 2013. My all around Appaloosa named Cooter, was in a pretty serious wreck. There was nothing simple about his injuries or the diagnoses of what the damage had done or would continue to do to him.

For the last three years Cooter has been intermittently lame. Not three legged, head bobbing lame……….. Lock up and refuse to move forward lame. I do not know what I would do without the help of Dr. Christine. She is very helpful in seeing the subtle issues of lameness and to diagnose if joint injections or chiropractic is in order. Both Christine and Carla been helpful with referrals and suggestions. Their support has allowed me the gift of riding this fantastic athlete that otherwise would have been in enormous pain. Keeping Cooter pain free and in good health is my main goal. I cannot thank Dr Christine and Carla enough for all their help and support.

(April 2016)

Grosse Family & Jay

Our family has been using the services of Veterinary Integrative Performance Services (VIPs) for over 7 years now. We cannot thank Christine Woodford, the certified animal chiropractor and acupuncturist, enough for how she has made our horses and dogs life more comfortable through her services.

Jay, our 16year old POA gelding has been one of Dr. Woodford's patients since we have owned him. He receives numerous chiropractic and acupuncture treatments from VIPs through out the year. Recently though we have had to re-evaluate Jay's reasoning for being sore in his hind quarters and front shoulders. Through evaluation under Dr. Woodford, she suggested we have Jay's stifle joints injected. We proceeded to follow the instructions of Dr. Woodford and had both stifle joints injected with acupuncture and chiropractic work done as well. The rest period and exercise program she suggested is crucial to the outcome of this procedure. We are very happy with how Jay has reacted to this procedure, so much that we make it a practice to have his stifle joints injected before every show season begins. Thank you to Dr. Christine Woodford and her staff for the years of caring for our pet's health.

The Grosse Family(April 2016)

Sage & Deb

Sage is an aged gelding that sustained an injury to his shoulder in February. His veterinarian diagnosed him with Sweeney. Sweeney shoulder in horses occurs when there is damage to the suprascapular nerve that controls the Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus and Triceps muscles. Injury causes atrophy or "wasting away" of the muscles of the shoulder due to the nerve damage. Depending on the extent of the nerve damage, horses may also drag their toe.

Sage's owner, Deb, contacted us for acupuncture and Magna Wave treatment. We Magna Waved Sage's shoulder five times a week and treated with acupuncture twice weekly. After 3 days, Deb already noticed a difference in Sage's gait. We are still treating Sage twice monthly with acupuncture and Magna Wave. His gait is back to normal and the damaged muscles are improving. Thank you Deb for your dedication to Sage and his recovery!

(March 2016)

Viper & Nikki

Viper is a 4year old, American Quarter Horse shown in Reining.

He has been occasionally "off" ever since he was a weanling. In 2014, Viper was diagnosed with navicular. We have attempted several treatments, all with varying degrees of success. Nothing has shown a change in him as quickly as the acupuncture therapy with Dr. Christine. I am hopeful this will be our "go to" therapy to keep Viper more sound and happy. THANK YOU Dr. Chrisine Woodford!!

Nikki Rowe

Dr. Woodford has been using electro acupunture to treat Viper's navicular pain. Electro acupuncture uses electricity (provided by a 9-volt battery) to electrically stimulate the area where the needle is inserted.

Anmial Name: Vinnie 3 year old wp gelding, Dierks 6 year old all around qh gelding

Description of Services: I sought your services for issues with Dierks being sore and not always being sound. Then was such a great service that after I lost Dierks continued to bring vinnie so he could always feel his best.

Response: They both responded great!! Dierks went from bucking from being sore from having ribs popping out to riding great just after one chiro/magnawave treatment. Vinnie loves the magnawave especially you can tell from watching him that he loves it and makes him perform better.

Follow Up: I do different stretches that christine has shown me so I can help keep them feeling their best in between their treatments.

Comments:
I have taken two different horses to Dr. Christine. The first horse was Dierks. He was a 6 year old Quarter Horse. I sought Dr. Christine's services when Dierks came up sore and was bucking. Dr. Christine found he was out in his ribs. After one adjustment and a Magna Wave treatment the bucking stopped!
Vinnie is a 3 year old gelding. I was so happy with the reults I saw with Dierks that I bring Vinnie for chiropractic and Magna Wave so he can always feel his best. Vinnie loves the Magna Wave treatments.

I also do the stretches that Dr. Christine showed me to keep Vinnie feeling good in between treatments.

Amber(December 2015)

Susan and Jade

Jade is a big, beautiful, grey Quarter Horse. She is 5 years old and Susan shows her in Western and English. We started seeing Jade in July of 2014 when she was tripping a lot and lame upfront. Susan felt like Jade's shoulders were out. When Dr. Christine examined Jade she discovered the not only were Jade's shoulders out but her back was also out. After the first adjustment, Susan discovered that Jade was moved more freely, was happier and more willing than before.

Since then Jade sees Dr. Christine every couple of months during her show season. Susan is also diligent about doing leg and neck stretches with Jade to help the adjustments hold longer and keep Jade loose.

Susan has also incorporated the neck stretcher into her exercise program with Jade. Susan feels the neck stretcher has taught Jade to bring her hind end up underneath her. Go to link for more information on the neck stretcher.

Dr. Christine has been a "miracle worker" for Jade.

Susan Buresh(September 2015)

Teresa & Vega

I first met Dr. Christine at the Iowa horse fair a few years ago. I had just bought my AQHA mare "Vega" a few months prior. I was having a hard time getting Vega to transition smoothly from a trot to a lope. Dr. Christine was giving a clinic and I was very impressed by her. I had Vega with me at the fair. I asked her if she could look at her and maybe give her an adjustment. It made all the difference in the world! She was a different horse. Dr. Christine has done an awesome job and I hope she knows how much Vega and I appreciate her. If you are looking for a horse chiropractor you won't be sorry with Dr. Christine.

Teresa MurrayKeokuk, Iowa(August 2015)

Cindy and Penny and Reno

Penny, our 8 year old AQHA/APHA mare, was diagnosed with navicular syndrome at age 5. From the initial diagnosis, Dr. Christine has been an integral part of our strategy to manage the disease, alleviate the pain and slow the progression. We believe in the application of traditional veterinary medicine as well as alternative therapies to address not only the pain and lameness in the navicular area but also the secondary symptoms that show up in her back, shoulders, and poll. Dr. Christine can identify these sore spots and administer effective chiropractic treatment resulting in a horse that is more comfortable and willing. The stretching exercises she taught us provide additional therapies to use at home in between treatments. Both Dr. Christine and I have observed Penny is a different horse now than when she first began chiropractic treatment 3 years ago. She's a sweet little mare with a big heart and a willing attitude - with Dr. Christine's help,she remains active in our ranch horse activities.

Reno is our one-in-a-million, been there/done that gelding. Throughout his roping and ranching career he's never taken a lame step but for one morning last year when he came out of his stall with an ever so slight drag of his right hind foot. Fortunately, Dr. Christine was going to be in our area the very next day and I was able to double up on our already scheduled appointment for Penny. Sure enough, Reno had thrown his back out! With just a couple of chiropractic treatments, Reno was back in action and hasn't had an issue since. Thank you Dr. Christine!

Cindy HarwoodHickory Grove Ranch(May 2015)

Neo and Marilyn

Last fall I purchased a 19 year old retired rope horse that I wanted to use on trails. He is a registered paint but looks all Quarter Horse. His name is Neo. My best friend had him since he was 3. She has been roping on him all the time that she owned him. I was finally able to purchase him and knew that there might be some problems with him because of the age and the year's team roping on him. I took him to the shoer and found out that we couldn't trim his back feet because his back hurt so badly. He would not let us lift up his back legs.

I knew about Dr. Christine Woodford from a previous show in Cedar Rapids at Kirkwood. She had helped my horse when he tried to colic at a horse show. I contacted her and she has helped Neo improve tremendously. Neo would not lay down because it was so hard for him to get up with his back out. He now lies down with no problem and is able to get up much better and walk off. The shoer is able to pick up his feet now and trim him. He runs and plays a lot more than he used to and you can see that he is feeling much better now.

Every time Dr. Woodford worked on Neo, you could tell how much better he felt. There wasn't so much pain in his eyes like before. When Dr. Woodford was working on him to relieve those areas, he would lick his lips every time she had done something right for him. It was so funny and a relief to know that the chiropractic treatments were working for him. He now backs out of a trailer much better where before he had to be turned around because he couldn't back out.

Horses are a lot like people. They need to have yearly maintenance done on them just like humans. We, as humans, sometimes have to have those adjustments ourselves. It is very important to have the chiropractic treatment done to make them comfortable and perform the best for you so you can enjoy your ride.

Thank you Dr. Christine Woodford for taking care of Neo and Carla for being so helpful in scheduling the appointments and any questions I had. Your name VIP does say a lot because you are treating everyone like a Very Important Person.

Looking forward to the trails and enjoying the summer with Neo and friends.

(April 2015)

Patti Coble and Red

Dr. Woodford has a reputation of being one of the best horse veterinarians in the state of Iowa. She is very forward thinking and is an equine dentist. To me having a veterinarian who is also an equine dentist is very important, especially with an older horse. Red was a rescue and had never had any dental work done in his entire life. His mouth was a mess and he had some past issues coming out of the sedation. Dr. Woodford was able to sedate Red to the point where he was comfortable with the procedure but not overly sedated. Having his teeth floated was a much more comfortable procedure for Red and it also allowed Dr. Woodford to do a good job because Red was comfortable.

Dr. Woodford does a tremendous job! She is very kind and gentle. For me, it is important when administering sedation that Dr. Woodford was a veterinarian. Secondly, she has the training to handle a problem if something should go wrong. This is especially important with an older horse.

In addition, her equipment seemed to be much more up to date and gentler looking than other equipment I have seen in the past. Her love for animals is apparent and she treats your animal with kindness and respect.

Red left this world on December 1, 2014. I choose to use the phrase we "set him free". It was devastating for us.

(March 2015)

Red River Ranch owned by Jan Bringham

Dr Woodford has been taking care of my horses and horses in my care for several years. I can honestly say that without Dr Woodford on "our team" our horses would not be as successful as they have been. Whether it is diagnoses of lameness and chiropractic treatments, acupuncture or Magnawave-Dr. Woodford has been a key player in our success.

Regular chiropractic treatments help our horses perform at their best. When we know we have a show coming up our horses receive a "tune up" from Dr Woodford. 5 year old Appaloosa gelding A Sudden Investor (Indy) owned by Janice Weyland has been doing very well at the Midwest Winter Challenge shows at the Iowa Equestrian Center this winter. Indy gets regular chiropractic checks to keep him performing his best.

A Sudden Investor winning top 10 at 2014 Appaloosa Nationals in Trail with Janice Weyland.

(February 2015)

Kelsey and Captain

I got Captain about 5 months ago. He is a 9 year old off the track Thoroughbred. Captain had about 2 years off before I got him, since then he has been put back into heavy work/training. I could tell he was having back pain and was very sore. He was pinning his ears back and tossing his head at the sight of his saddle. Before Captain's 2nd appointment with Dr. Woodford, I spoke with Carla about trying acupuncture along with his adjustment. To be truthful I wasn't quite sure how or even if the acupuncture would work but it was worth trying to make Captain less sore. Captain was so incredibly sore when Dr. Woodford began working on him. He was kicking and balking out. I had never seen him like that. When she was done adjusting him she began the acupuncture. Captain was such a trooper throughout the entire process and Dr. Woodford let me know step by step what she was doing and how he may react. After an exciting 20 or so minutes of acupuncture I turned him out in our indoor arena. He ran and then rolled repeatedly. He felt so good. He was so much more relaxed then he was before she began working on him. A few days later, I put him back to work. I can't even begin to describe how great he felt. He is moving better, picking up his canter leads and using his entire body unlike before. Tacking Captain up has become a much more enjoyable experience for us both. I cannot thank Dr. Christine enough for what she has done for my guy in just two visits. He is a much happier horse and I am thrilled with how much he has progressed! Thanks again!

(December 2014)

Myra Crawford Show Horses

Myra Crawford Show Horses is located in Elberon, Iowa. We specialize in halter and long line. I enjoy working with clients and their horses to achieve their showing goals. I have shown multiple futurity winners and medallion earners. My most recent accomplishments are 2011 Reserve World Champion Non Pro Longe Liner, 2012 Reserve World Champion Non Pro Most Colorful, 2013 Reserve National Champion Non Pro Most Colorful, and 2014 Reserve World Champion Open FPD Mares.

Since 2011, I have used Dr. Christine's chiropractic services. I had a 2yr old that was dropping a lead. He started carrying his head high and became very resistant traveling to the right. I saw an immediate response from him after being adjusted! He was no longer resisting and was softer in his neck and face. We were both so happy! Since then, I have taken other horses to Dr. Christine when they are having similar issues during their training.

Dr. Christine has suggested stretching exercises for the legs and neck. She also has given me a back strengthening exercise to incorporate into my training program. I try to follow up with the instructions she gives me that are recommended for each horse!
Dr. Christine is great to work with. She is pleasant when working on my horses. She is also always just a phone call away for advice. Carla does a great job getting back to me and so very patient working around my crazy schedule!

Myra Crawford

Willy is a 10 year old quarter horse. He means the world to me and we enjoy barrel racing together. He sometimes gets tight in his poll, neck and back as a lot of barrel horses do. I am very diligent about keeping Willy feeling his best so I take him to Dr. Christine for chiropractic adjustments. When Willy leaves her office after a treatment he is a much happier horse and I feel good knowing he is not hurting when we enter the arena. I am very thankful to have such a great equine specialist to keep my barrel racing partner feeling great. Thank you so much Dr. Christine!

Gracie

It may seem odd to some that I would write a testimonial for Dr. Christine when I am employed by her. Of course, I am going to say something good! Well, I can remember when she first told me that she was going to pursue animal chiropractic. I said, "I don't believe in that! How can you move a horse's spine?" I am a natural born skeptic. I have to see it to believe it! That was 8 years ago.
My horses have been "practiced" on when Dr. Christine needed to develop her technique. I started to see and feel changes in my horse's performance; they were no longer stiff in one direction or they readily and happily picked up a lead. I was starting to become a believer!
Gracie is an eight year old Quarter Horse mare that runs barrels for a living. She has a lot of natural talent. Barrel racing is very demanding on the horse's body. I have learned over the last 2 years to closely observe Gracie as she "tells" me when she is in need of an adjustment or joint injections. I believe if we take the time to pay attention to our horses they do communicate with us through their actions. Also, I feel that it is my job to help her feel good so she can reach her fullest potential.
Gracie receives chiropractic, acupuncture and Magna Wave treatments on a monthly basis. After a weekend of barrel racing Gracie gets the next day off and the following day I make sure I observe her on the lunge line. A couple weeks ago, I was watching her trot around and thought "her topline is rigid". She was scheduled to see Dr. Christine later that week. When Dr. Christine worked on Gracie, she was very tight in the back besides her normal areas that plague her. We gave Gracie her regular treatments. That weekend Gracie competed in the Iowa NBHA State Show. She felt really great, Friday she ran 5th out of 218 and was Reserve Champion in the 2nd Division on Sunday!
Thank you Christine for helping Gracie feel her best so she can perform to her top potential!

Carla Baumgartner

Allie is a 12 year old Pinto. We enjoy trail riding. This winter Allie started to rush into her canter. She also would try to bite me when saddling. I wanted to rule out any physical pain.
I scheduled an appointment with Dr. Christine for a chiropractic adjustment. Allie threw a fit during most of the time of her adjustment, tossing her head and pushing on me. Then Dr. Christine found just the right spot and Allie stood there perfectly still!

Allie is more comfortable when asked to canter. She is listening and responding. I am following the stretching exercises and using the neck stretcher to strengthen her back.

One of the things I like about Dr. Christine is her all-around knowledge of horses. While she was working on Allie we talked about how Allie acts out when I saddle her. From her behavior and our conversation, Dr. Christine thought it may be a behavioral problem. I feel very comfortable asking Dr. Christine her opinion as she has a wealth of practical and medical knowledge.

Nikki Thummel

Rhymer is a 10 year old Warmblood. I have had Rhymer about 6 months. Three months ago, he starting kicking out at the canter departs. He was visibly very tense and defensive in his back. He was reluctant to go forward. We could tell he was uncomfortable somewhere.

Dr Christine worked on Rhymer the end of December and adjusted his back and neck. She shared he was very tight, and sensitive in the SI joint area. He responded to the treatment immediately. Dr Christine put us on a program of 2 weeks of ground work, lounging him in a Pessoa balancing system, carrot stretches, followed by 2 weeks of long and low riding.

The next visit was at the end of January. Dr Christine commented on how much better Rhymer seemed even standing in the cross ties. He was not nearly as defensive of his back and had increased muscle tone on his top line.

Overall, I am so pleased with the results of the chiro work with my horse and I think he is a happier guy as well :-) Thank you again Dr Christine!

Kelly Kramer

Prince and Nikko earn their keep as trail horses. I noticed the boys were having some "problems". I had used an equine chiropractor in Colorado. An internet search led me to Dr. Christine Woodford.

Prince, owned by Lisa Kruidenier, was always mean and crabby towards his pasture mates. When Dr. Christine examined him she found his poll and TMJ to be out of alignment. She told me "imagine having a migraine every day". Dr. Christine adjusted Prince and to my amazement he became a different horse. Prince was more relaxed and pleasant. He was no longer the pasture bully!

Nikko, owned by Teri Juhl, was purchased as a yearling and came with a T-post scar on his right hindquarter. Nikko always held his tail clamped, was short strided, weak in the hindquarters and never bucked when playing with the other horses. After seeing Dr. Christine, Nikko has become free moving in the hind end and bucks and kicks with the other horses when playing! His hindquarters have also muscled up and filled out!

I have Dr. Christine come monthly and her adjustments keep all the boys feeling and looking great!

Lisa KruidenierTeri Juhl

Blaze is a 14 year old, all around grade pony. This summer, Blaze seemed off. His lope wasn't as smooth as usual and he was hitting poles on the left side. I heard about Dr. Christine and thought I would try chiropractic. His lope smoothed up and he stopped hitting poles. He even won the FFA pole bending class at the Iowa State Fair and ran a quicker time than he has ever before! Blaze seemed happier too, like he felt better and looked forward to working. I have continued with the neck and leg stretches, fingers on the side of withers and pulling at an angle on his tail. Thanks Dr. Christine!

Amy Turner

Kelly and Lucy, the Rocky Mountain Gaited Horse

Dr. Christine adjusted my Rocky Mountain Horse, Lucy, at 3G Stables in Ames. Lucy slipped going down a hill on a trail ride in August and strained her right chest/shoulder. A month later Lucy appeared sound and had been working well, But I still didn't think she was back to herself yet. The chiropractic adjustment made a big difference in her. When I got home she was playful and mischievous. I thought she was walking better. I knew for sure when my husband Kelly saw her that afternoon and said her walk is back. She has this free moving panther-like walk and that's what had been missing. I think it really shows how important chiropractic adjustment can be. To anyone looking at her she looked and moved normal and was willing to do her job. But it was obvious she needed your expertise and has regained greater flexibility and comfort. This journey with you has shown me how valuable chiropractic can be with your horse who may not be showing any outward signs of pain or discomfort. Just think if Lucy and I did something competitive, we'd have an edge!Thanks so much for doing what you do.

Sadie was having loping issues and Dr. Christine injected her hocks and it really improved her lope! She also gave us some exercises to do with Sadie to strengthen her back and keep her in top competitive shape.

Lucy had some soreness at a show and we sought out Dr. Christine. After a chiropractic and Magna Wave session Lucy was feeling much better.
We are thankful for the expertise and special care we recieve from Dr. Christine. She even gave us some pointers for the trail class!

Famous Horse FarmGeorge and Becky Maurer

Eric and Tuffy

Hel On Socks, aka "Tuffy" is a six year old Quarter Horse. We raised him and Eric trained him. Tuffy is out of a full sister to a gelding that Eric ran and won many barrel races on. I purchased Tuffy's sire in South Dakota as a weanling and won some money on him.

As the majority of barrel horses do, Tuffy got a little sore. We have always made sure Tuffy and our other competitive horses feel their best by using chiropractic, acupunture and magnawave. During one of those treatments Dr. Christine noticed a response to a "hock point" in one of Tuffys hocks and told us to keep an eye on it. As Tuffy progressed this spring Eric felt it was time to address the hock soreness with some injections. Dr. Christine injected him and we followed up with chiropractic treatment.

On July 5, at the Big J Barrel Blast in Waterloo, Tuffy and Eric experienced their first win at a big show (182 other competitors). We are thankful to have Dr. Christine and her talents as part of our team!

Carla Baumgartner

Ann and Viento

My Peruvian Paso gelding came to Dr. Woodford for treatment a few weeks ago. He had been examined and treated by three equine veterinarians and one chiropractor over a 9 month period in Arizona. I was very close to putting him down. After that many opinions and months of various treatments, I was to the point that the horse was on his last chance! Dr. Woodford examined him. She spent 45 or so minutes adjusting him. She also gave us exercises to do at home and nutrition suggestions. Now he is much improved. I feel like she gave him a new chance on life! My only regret is that I didn't take the horse to Dr. Woodford sooner.

Ann Adkins

Loper and Stacie

My 9 year old APHA gelding, Chex N Checkers (a.k.a. Loper) responded very well to Magna Wave therapy. I show him in All Around events so his days at the show are long. Loper tends to get tight and sore in his right shoulder, especially on the first day of a show. Lunging and riding the heck out of him is not the answer to working through his issues. The Magna Wave treatment seemed to really relax him both mentally and physically. He was freer moving after the initial treatment. Loper was in the best mood I had seen him in, in a long time. I was excited to see this and plan to use the Magna Wave therapy to prepare for future shows.

After Memorial Day, I am a big believer in Magnawave. My horse has never been that relaxed and he did awesome!!!!!! We were Circuit Champion in Am HUS and reserve Circuit Champion in Open HUS!"

Stacie

The Vespermans and their Cowboy Mounted Shooting Horses
"We first met Dr. Christine in the early summer 2010 after a friend from our Mounted Shooting Horse club recommended her to us for our horses. Initially Dr. Christine worked on our son's mare Breeze. Breeze at the time was a 10 year old very athletic mare; we had Chiropractic work done on her in the past but just were not seeing results so we made an appointment with Dr. Woodford. After the first treatment Breeze responded wonderfully and we saw large improvement in her movement and attitude. Later that summer Breeze was very stiff in a hind leg; we again made an appointment to have Dr. Christine adjust her but this time was different. Dr. Woodford noticed a change in Breeze that she felt needed to be looked at with x-rays etc. She put us in touch with a specialist in this area the next day. Breeze had a soft tissue injury in her right stifle that required an anti-inflammatory joint injection to heal. Thank God Dr. Woodford noticed it was more than a Chiropractic treatment needed at that time. Breeze healed completely, and remains in excellent health and shape by routine, chiropractic treatments by Dr. Christine.

Reo (pictured above) is another one of our Shooting horses that would not compete at the level she does without regular chiropractic treatments by Dr. Woodford. Click http://www.cmsaevents.com/index.cfm to learn more about the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association.

Our horses are not only used in Cowboy Mounted Shooting, they also are used for pleasure riding at home. Keeping them healthy by using Veterinary Integrative Performance Services by Dr. Christine Woodford has enabled our horses to perform better and I believe be happier companions/partners."
Sincerely,The Vespermans

My name is Elyse Buysse and I am 15 years old. My horse AJ is a 7 year old buckskin gelding. This is my 5th year of showing horses. This winter I participated in the Kirkwood Community College Student Saddle Club Winter Series horse shows at the Iowa Equestrian Center sponsored by Abraham's Equine Clinic. There were 5 shows that I went to competing for a new saddle. I almost didn't get to go to 2 of the shows, but I wound up getting to go and it all paid off in the end. At the last show I was only winning by only 2 points on the first day and by the second day I was ahead by 6 points. We had a pretty good day our 2nd day and I wound up winning the saddle by 17 points. It was a great feeling to win something like that. I had great support from my family, my trainer and her family, and from friends that I had met through showing at these shows.

Last winter AJ had a really bad leg injury and was given a very small chance of ever walking again and an even smaller chance of riding or showing again. Christine Woodford used magna wave therapy and acupuncture on him to help him heal. This winter I showed at the Iowa Equestrian Center winter horse show series and at the 4th show we noticed that he was having trouble eating and he was not acting himself. When I went up to the show ring for western classes he was acting really mad and was throwing a fit, it seemed like he was in pain. We looked at his mouth and felt his teeth, which were really sharp. We talked to Christine and she came over to our stalls to check them out. After the last day of the show she floated his teeth and after that you could see a huge difference in the way he acted and ate, he was a happy horse again.

Thank you for the wonderful support from Wilson Performance Horses for your great instruction and guidance keeping AJ and I fit, trained, and performing our best. Thank you Dr. Christine Woodford for making AJ feel better. Thanks to the Kirkwood Saddle Club for putting on the fun winter open shows and Dr. Charles Abraham for donating an awesome saddle!

Dr. Gina and Ritz

Three years ago, I purchased a rescued OTTB who had been retrained as a hunter. When Ritz was delivered to the stable, we all were taken aback by this skeletal patchwork of a 16.3 Thoroughbred that carefully backed out of the trailer. Never wasting resources, the stable owner had Ritz saddled immediately and put through a short course of simple jumps to assess the new arrival. What Ritz showed us was physically, he was lacking; but mentally he was engaged, obedient, and willing. I fell in love and bought him that week. I slowly increased his diet with high quality hay, a pelleted protein feed, equine senior, and supplements. Past racing injuries and conformational imperfections would expose themselves through sore legs, late changes, and deteriorating work ethic. I tried hock injections, laser therapy, chiropractic, and sacral steroid injections. Nothing really lasted. Through a friend, I heard about Dr. Woodford, and how she could resurrect the most hopeless cases of equine lameness. Dr. Woodford's countenance with my usually over-reactive TB was so calm and reassuring. Ritz took to her immediately. Her examination was thorough and the first treatment lasted nearly an hour and a half! Her recommendations included a twice weekly lunge with increasing time on a neck stretcher to develop Ritz's absent topline. She taught me how to perform various stretches for Ritz's shoulders, legs, and neck. Within one month, Ritz was going with much more fluidity and suppleness. Within 3 months, his topline was vastly improved and his sacral soreness disappeared. Truly, Dr. Woodford's treatments and prescriptions for maintenance were extremely effective. Just the other day, she visited Ritz for an acupuncture treatment and his condition was so good, she decided he didn't need the acupuncture this time. She is professional, knowledgeable, and punctual. I would recommend her to anyone who has grown frustrated with traditional injections as a means of maintaining chronic equine lameness.

Gina Sparacino

Satuday, October 27, 2012 was last Sort and Pen event for the season at Shelbyville, MO. Buckles were awarded for the fastest time of the night and it just so happened that the team that won were all 3 horses that Dr. Christine Woodford works on and keeps in good form. Fastest time on 3 head was 26 seconds and the buckles were awarded to Caitlin Conlon-Beckner from Macomb, IL, Doug Shelabarger from Manito, IL, and Lala O'Hara from Burlington, IA. There were almost 70 teams participating and the slowest time in the money was 33 seconds. Thanks Dr. Christine for keeping our horses in great shape for penning and sorting, our horses thank you too!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to God too!!!

Two years ago I was having some problems with my barrel horse, Orville. I came to Dr. Christine and she treated him with chiropractic and acupuncture. It really helped him to relax, stretch and help pin point some other issues. He was working well and feeling great. I wanted to keep his great attitude and winning streak. I bring Orville in monthly to keep him feeling and working to his fullest potential. When Dr. Christine purchased the magnawave I incorporated it into our monthly maintenance. I believe the magnawave is his favorite! After a treatment, I drop the lead rope and his head is down and he is almost sleeping!!!

There are times when I am on the road for weeks at a time. I can tell when Orville gets sore, his performance decreases and we do not win prize money. One phone call and a visit later, he is back winning again! Dr. Woodford is a huge part of our success in the WPRA. I am currently leading the Women's Professional Rodeo Association, Great Lakes Circuit and it couldn't be done without Dr. Woodford's expertise! Orville has proven to me that monthly and sometimes more treatments are a huge part of my success. Horses can't give their all if they aren't feeling 100%.

I would not have the success in the IRCA, URA and WPRA without the help and expertise of Dr. Woodford.

Just wanted to thank you for the chiropractic treatment you gave Evan earlier this week. Got to ride him for the first time since our visit and he was FANTASTIC! I didn't have to do any of my usual tricks to keep him balanced. And, since he was more balanced he seemed more relaxed. So, despite the wind rattling everything around, he didn't spook once. And, he was very quick to round up and get to work. During our whole ride he was stretching down and reaching for the bit. It normally takes at least 45 minutes to get him there and he was responding as soon as I picked up the reins. It even seemed like he was moving his shoulders differently. It felt like he was reaching more out in front of him. He even rounded during his canter. He's NEVER done that. Its something I've been fighting with him about all Winter. Honestly, he just felt like a whole new horse.

Since the only thing I've done new this week is bring him over to you, I'm assuming you must be to thank for my thoroughly enjoyable ride this morning.

Thanks Again!

- Katherine

We have been perplexed for the last year or so with a very talented young western pleasure horse that would occasionally exhibit a "short" or "lazy" step at the jog. We had his hocks and stifles x-rayed and even sent off to a specialist. Nothing physically could be found to explain this way of going. Even after a flexion test, he would trot off just pretty as you please. We finally contacted Dr. Christine Woodford and had her look at him. She found his hip to be out and some vertebrae in his back that needed some adjusting. Coincidentally, at this very same time, I also happened to talk to someone that had this same condition on one of their horses. It actually was corrected by a training technique that encouraged them to "march" into the trot. Two days after Dr. Christine's adjustment, we tried this training technique and the "short" step was gone! It evidently was a "habit" that he had developed, but of course that habit would have affected his spinal alignment. Two weeks later, we took him to a large open show and he had two firsts and two seconds in western pleasure classes that ranged in size from 25-45 entries! I'm become a believer that training and chiropractic care work hand in hand in developing a top-notch prospect.